Happy World Press Freedom Day

[richlevy]

On the recommendation of the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly, on 20 December 1993, declared 3 May as World Press Freedom Day (decision 48/432). This action stemmed from the General Conference of UNESCO, which, by a 1991 resolution on "Promotion of press freedom in the world," had recognized that a free, pluralistic and independent press was an essential component of any democratic society. The General Conference had invited the UNESCO Director-General to transmit to the General Assembly the wish of UNESCO member states to have 3 May declared "International Press Freedom Day," LThat date was chosen to commendorate the WIndhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, adopted on 3 May 1991 by the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, organized by UNESCO and the United Nations in Windhoek, Namibia.

It's sort of amazing that an industry that started out as something which looked more like a farmers almanac or one of the free newspapers with recipes that you find in the supermarket could become so vital to democracy. Of course the British seemed to understand this because in 1690 they suppressed the first recorded newspaper in America.

280 years later Woodward and Bernstein helped bring down an adminstration.

Of course, now that we have television, less people are getting their news from print. Unfortunately, cable networks and cable companies have a much greater freedom in refusing advertisers since they are not technically broadcasters. This includes political or issue ads which promote 'uncomfortable' or 'controversial' ideas.

I don't think this is a good idea.